1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus adapted to evenly fill an elongate collecting space with a viscous substance, said substance being dispensed again along one elongate side of the space, and comprising a distributing pipe provided parallel to the space and having a feed means connection and an outflow surface for the substance provided along the entire length of the distributing pipe.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An apparatus of this type has been used in the art, to wit in application techniques for obtaining a proper, even distribution of a coating, impregnating, finishing or printing substance across the width of a substrate to be treated. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 501,967 filed June 10, 1983, which was a continuation of Ser. No. 299,550 filed on Sept. 4, 1981 now abandoned in the name of Cornelis BLAAK describes for the rotary printing technique a special use of such a distributing system in conjunction with a gap-type squeegee and wherein said elongate collecting space is formed by two thin, flexible metal blades spaced from each other at some distance.
In rotary printing and coating techniques it is important that the substance used for printing or coating to be distributed as evenly as possible in the stencil before the squeegee.
In this connection it has often been possible to absorb the irregularities, inevitably occurring in the feed system or in the dispensing of the substance, (for example, in case of a strongly asymmetrical design), by means of the amount of substance building up before the squeegee and indicated by the designation "roll". By properly defining the shape or configuration of the outflow surface provided along the entire length of the distributing pipe, there will be formed, within wide viscosity limits of the substance, a "roll" such, that an even printing or coating is achieved. Nevertheless, it is advisable to be continually alert when using the conventional distributing systems, especially when during the coating or printing process there occur changes in the viscosity, for example, due to the varying temperature.